You've heard it before, now you can hear it again... Unless you're staying in a top-end hotel with its own water purification system, do not drink the tap water. This includes brushing your teeth, opening your mouth in a shower, ice in drinks, etc. We were fortunate in that we stayed in a good hotel and did not get sick. We weren't overly fasitidious, but we were careful.

Many Indians also warned us about the water (they, too, get sick from it) and urged us to stick to bottled water from reputable bottling companies. On a couple of occaisions, we saw Indians sending back their botles of water. Don't be afraid to do so yourself if necessary.

Another tip is to examine the water bottles you buy to make sure the seal is up to snuff. We also noticed that not all brands are created equal. If you notice everyone drinking the same brand, that's a good sign. There are some brands that even the local shuns.

If you're prone to stomache upset (you know who you are), be sure to bring your medications. Even if you have a cast iron stomach, it's still a good idea to pack some antacids, pepto bismal and immodium. The change in diet is enough to catch a person off guard. I know the guidebooks say you can buy remedies when you get there, but do you really want to go through the hassle especially if you're not feeling well?

As far as food goes, if you're in an iffy place the old if you can't peel it, cook it, etc. rule still holds. Even on the trains and planes we found the food suitable and did not get sick. This doesn't mean we ate/drank everything offered to us; however, we were careful.

Don’t drink the water. Most people know this and drink mineral water. Do check, though, that the seal is intact and no unscrupulous entrepreneur is selling you tap water. And do remember that not drinking the water extends to ice in drinks, cleaning your teeth, and drinks like fruit smoothies where water might be added. Finally, this may sound an odd warning, but close your mouth in the shower! My boyfriend is convinced this is how he got ill in India, as the water ran over his face. As we always shared our dishes and I was fine the whole three weeks I have to agree with him.

Don’t eat meat. I am a very happy carnivore, the simple fact is that meat can host some of the unpleasantest bugs going. Put this together with the fact that the Hindu diet is largely vegetarian and your ‘chef’ may have neither the facilities nor the knowledge to store and prepare raw meat hygienically before it is disguised in a curry sauce on your plate. On a recent trip to Nepal I saw a chef in a ‘good’ hotel begin cutting up a raw chicken with a large cleaver, then change knives, placing the dirty cleaver back on a shelf with all the other knives!

With such a wealth of vegetable and pulse curries you will not starve! A few useful vegetables are palak (spinach), chana (chick peas), aloo (potatoes), brinjal (eggplant), dhal (lentil soup), and paneer (cheese) and they are all so much tastier than they sound. Vegetarian ‘thalis’ – a plate of many different dishes in the railway station canteens were a joy. Just keep reminding yourself that Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Dhansak etc were all invented for the Western palate.

If you really can’t survive without a meat fix, either eat in a good recommended restaurant, or wait until you have a few days in one place to get over any upsets if necessary.

Don’t eat the skin of uncooked fruit or veg. This may sound more paranoid than not eating meat, but this is how I got amoebic dysentery in Egypt. You just don’t know who or what might have peed or shat it. Sadly this largely rules out salads, which make a pleasant break to curries. Peelable fruit (mangos, bananas etc), thankfully are in abundance.

Don’t be paranoid. Ultimately , it's your choice. Whilst some foods potentially harbour more evils than others, it is ultimately pot luck. I’ve drunk fruit juice mixed with water from the Nile and been fine, yet violently ill after a kebab cooked by a local family and a salad prepared myself. Essentially be sensible, but enjoy. With hindsight, the worst stomach trouble my boyfriend and I have ever had have been gastric flu back home in the UK.